Skip to main content

Treasures

             “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)

 

            The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass. (Revelation 21:21)

 

            All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. (Isaiah 64:6)

 

            Treasure: a quantity of precious metals, gems, or other valuable objects; a very valuable object (Middle English: from Old French tresor, based on Greek thēsauros  (See thesaurus)

 

           Thesaurus (late 16th century: via Latin from Greek thēsauros ‘storehouse, treasure’. The original sense ‘dictionary or encyclopedia’ was narrowed to the current meaning by the publication of Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases (1852).

 

            I’m going to leave the etymological study above. It’s very interesting, but I think it’ll distract – except in this sense. Treasures are things that one values and collects, stockpiles, and hoards. It doesn’t matter whether they are words or chunks of minerals (gold, diamonds, etc.) But, if we are going to stockpile our treasures in heaven, it’s reasonable to consider what sort of treasures would have value there.

            The passage from Revelation makes it sound as though gold isn’t worth much. Righteous works have even less value, as described in Isaiah. The things that come to mind as valued by Jesus are love and faith. Of course, love and faith will produce works, either of righteousness or evil depending on the object of the love and faith. And the value of the love, faith, and works that result from them will depend on the level of righteousness involved. So, the most important question of each day should be, “How can I love and trust first God, then my neighbor, today?” And it should be asked not in order to gain treasure in heaven, but for its and their own sakes. That's how to build a treasure in heaven.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The List

              Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,   through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;   perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)           Think about it. We have been justified. At least, we could be justified if we stopped insisting that our justification be based on our merits. We have peace with God, or could have peace if we stopped throwing temper tantrums. We have gained access into grace i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Listen!

  While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5)            Do you like roller coasters? I don't. You spend forever climbing a hill. You get to the top and have half a second, then you race down to a low point. Sometimes the racing down involves tying your insides into knots. At the bottom, you either have to be dragged up another hill or you get off the ride. Peter's life was a roller coaster from the time he met Jesus. There would be miracles, and then Jesus would teach things that didn't always make sense, and then they'd go out and perform miracles, and return to be taught. Peter was praised for giving the right answer to "Who do you say that I am?" Jesus said that said answer came from God. Peter was at the top of the hill.            ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Prayer Lists

                 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (I Peter 2:2-3)   In connection with what I wrote yesterday about the possibility that I’m wrong, I’m feeling the need to go back to basics - craving spiritual milk because somehow, I missed something. It’s a little embarrassing, craving milk like a newborn, but the truth probably is that we are newborns many times in many ways in our lives. From God’s perspective, we may never be anything more than newborns, forever needing that milk. On the other hand, being a newborn can also be exciting because so much is new. My mind is playing pinball - ricocheting from one idea to the next and through six more before it happens to hit the third again. The main topic is prayer. I have at least seven organizing structures all somewhat influenced by the movie War Room , which I’v...
Post a Comment
Read more